Kingdom Hearts: The Days Before
by Mikey Theo
Summary: Kaina, A fifteen year old girl, was found washed up on the shore of Destiny Island by the teenagers of Twilight Town. Not remembering anything of her past, she is taken in and given a new home. Having Mysterious Dreams without image, Kaina hears two mysterious voices speaking about something she doesn't understand. Do the dreams have anything to do with the life she lived?.
1. Prolouge

Beginning pt. 1: Hearts

White. A clear and blank slate, like the sheets of a sketch pad, images doodled throughout the tall walls and ceilings. Flipping the pages, the rooms, the people, All just like suspected: Hiding under dull disguises, they're strong abilities. They aren't what you'd think they are, the Organization. They're only out for one thing. The ultimate force that binds together the heart and the body:

Kingdom Hearts…

…but they've lacked one thing. One single ingredient to mix together for the perfect stew of chaos. They need the key, and they need it to fulfill their highest desires.

Inside their chest, there is a pit of darkness, not a speck in the dark vortex is found. Only the cold runs through them, and they are incomplete without a heart. With no heart to feel the warmth, the cold, the love and the sorrow. They want that heart to be complete once more, that is all they want.

Or is it?

With 12 members making the line-up, Organization 13 is still not whole. They ache for more power, more force to create The ultimate Kingdom Hearts. The force to unlock this power is in the key with the razor sharp truth. The key wielded by the chosen boy.

He, forced to save his own friends, was copied leaving the power to the Organization to take. His Nobody. His other half.

The thirteenth member of their powerful group. The one they found who can wield the Keyblade, collecting the glorious hearts from the wretched husks withholding them. The Heartless who steal hearts for their own. They lurk in the night, thirsty for anyone who tries to fight them off. Their eyes glow with an ominous light, and shine out their thirst for the those around them.

Anyone suitable can defeat the monsters without a heart, but only the Key is able to collect those hearts, creating the Kingdom Moon in the sky…

…And number 13 is chosen. The chosen copy of the chosen hero…

You might've heart the story of the island boy chosen to wield the Keyblade. His valiant efforts to try to save his friends and the world disappearing into darkness around him.

You might've heard of this boys copy as well. Joining the evil Organization 13, discovering his own destiny, friends and pathway to his heart. The two young men joining together to become one again, the copy residing in the husk of the hero…

But here's the story that's been hidden within the history of time. Hidden for a reason and with a purpose.

…what was forgotten…

Beginning pt. 2: Only sounds…

_"He is alive…" _A voice said, echoing throughout my ears. There was a dark and higher tone to the voice. A boy. A young man.

_ "The nobody, you mean?" _Another voice rang, this one with a deep accent. His voice was filled with some sort of determination. Some sort of non-caring.

_ "Yes, the nobody. But Xemnas has grasp on him, just as we suspected. For his plan to follow through, he needs a Keyblade wielder." _The first voice said, sounding more concerned than the second.

_ "Then he must be retrieved, there's no way we let the organization keep their hands on this boy." _The accented voice rang again.

_ "I'll do whatever it takes. He needs to wake up. He needs to be awake again." _The young man said, a teary accent added to his tone. _"I'm sensing_ hers _somewhere out there too."_

"Hers? _Her Nobody? But She resides here with me. The only one able to piece back the memories. You mean to tell be there is something else. Why have you not spoken sooner?" _The man said, his accent rising in pitch.

_ "It was not my place to tell you at the time. When her heart was removed from her body…she seemed to release another blank we didn't know about, somewhere on Destiny islands. She was brought here, to Twilight Town, to live with a few teenagers."_

_ "Another?"_

There was a short silence until the younger man's voice rang again.

_ "Let's just hope the Organization doesn't get a hold of her as well…make sure she stays hidden…"_

My dreams lately. There are no pictures, just sounds. The same men talking about a boy and a girl, both who I fail to identify.

Why do I hear these things? Someone up there, in the skies, must've confused these dreams for mine. But aren't dreams supposed to have something to do with you. Aren't they supposed to be from your mind only? These men were unfamiliar. The only familiar things they spoke of was my town. Twilight Town. My home, where I was sleeping at the time. Nestled in a tiny attic room of a friend.

So what was this supposed to mean? And what was a Keyblade? Why were these things in my dreams? Was someone trying to send me a message…Through an imageless dream?


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter1-

Running as fast as my long and lanky legs could carry me. I knew if I beat him, he'd be mad, so I stayed a little bit behind. Running and curving through alleyways and houses. I was running so fast that the hot summer air stung on my cheeks.  
"Can…you guys…slow down?" I heard behind me, but I kept up the pace, knowing that I was almost there. Right on his feet I sped up just a little so he could hear I was behind him. He picked up the pace and bolted faster, curving into our location. As soon as I reached it, a fell flat on the cement in exhaustion.  
"You okay?" A voice asked from above. I looked up to see a blurry face come into view. A pale boy with spiky, pale blonde hair. "You look a little…sick." He joked.  
I pulled myself up into a sitting position and looked at him. "Nope…I am…perfectly…fine." I replied with confidence. I quickly placed my hands on the gravel, and pushed myself upwards, jumping to stand.  
"Well, who's in last place?" He asked, watching the others slowly jog into the location. They seemed to be more tired than I was.  
"Hayner, you've gotta stop…challenging us…like that…" Pence said. Pence was a heavier set boy who wasn't used to any strenuous physical activity. He sat down on the gravel and let his back slump until he was laying on the ground.  
"You almost caught up to him this time, Kaina." Olette said, her tightly woven brown braids dangling at the side of the head. She leaned against the nearest wall and wiped the sweat collecting at her brow.  
"Well, are we gunna go buy some?" Hayner asked, looking in my direction then in Pence and Olette's. They nodded in agreement to his question, as did I.  
"For some reason, I forgot that we were running for ice cream." I said at Hayner. He smiled and started walking towards the stand.  
"Heck, I didn't." Pence said "Why you think I followed you guys in the first place?"  
"I dunno, maybe to get out of the house and get some exercise for once. Sheesh, it's summer!" Olette exclaimed.  
"Yeah, and the last days of it," I started. "Only a week left until school starts again."  
"Ugh can we not talk about this?"  
"Agreed." Olette said.  
Hayner seemed to walk up at the perfect time carrying four sky blue ice cream sticks. "Ready, my comrades?" He asked in a fake deep toned voice. It seemed to make Olette laugh, but in that case, everything Hayner did made Olette laugh. I nodded along with Pence, and we walked off to the station tower.

"So I heard that Setzer won the struggle competition once again?" I said, taking a bite of my ice cream.  
The blue ice cream was a trademark of this town called 'Sea salt' ice cream. I know it's a weird name, but it totally fit's the description. A half salty half sweet treat, and for some reason it was sweeter on good days, and saltier on bad. They say you can tell what a persons feeling by watching them eat it. If they cringe at the saltiness, their feeling either sad, mad or angry. If they smile at the sweetness, their having a great day.  
"Yeah," Hayner said, twisting his face into a scowl, "but I swore the man cheated. I mean, 6 consecutive years…Someone's gotta put that guy in his place."  
"It wasn't even worth going to, I mean, no one to root for at all, it's getting kind of boring." Olette said, taking a giant bite of her ice cream. For a girl who seemed so innocent to hang out with a bunch of boys (and me) she was sometimes a bigger slob than Pence.  
"Well, You guys can root for me next year, since 15's the entering age, right?" Hayner asked, smiling at Olette who seemed to let out a quick, girlish giggle.  
"You're actually gunna do it?" I asked. I took my last bite and threw the left over stick off the side of the tower.  
"Of Course. And even if I don't win, I'm gunna knock every last tooth out of Setzer's precious mouth."  
"Sound's like fun, finally someone to root for." Pence chimed in for the first time. He held his empty ice cream stick in his left check, dangling out the side of his mouth.  
"You should enter it next year, Kaina. You could probably knock some heads around, break a few bones." Hayner joked. "I mean, girls don't get too far, but…"  
"Excuse me, but I will take your but and send you hurtling off of this 400ft tower." I said, standing up, anger rising in my voice.  
"Sheesh, Kai, calm down. He was only kidding." Olette said, pulling me back down next to her. I sat and glared at Hayner.  
"Really, I was just kidding." He said.  
"You better have been, bucko. Or I swear, and you have my word, I will take that ice cream stick of Pence's there and I will shove it-"

Twilight set on the horizon. It was so beautiful just to watch it from my window. The colors, the sounds of the summer crickets. I guess that's where the town get's it's name from. Twilight Town.  
When Olette and I got back home, I immediately went to my room to wash up. I felt dirty and sweaty from running and being out all day. The prickle of the cool water on my skin took away the sting and stink of the sweat and grim. I then slipped on my pajamas: a grey shirt with a spiraling flower and orange shorts with the number 15 in the bottom right corner.  
I sat on my bed, hair still drying, and slung my legs over the side. I grabbed my brown covered sketch pad and started to open the cover.  
"Kaina, You awake." I heard Olette say from outside of the door.  
"Yeah."  
Olette opened the door and automatically glared at the mess of the ground. "Good goodness, you'd think Pence would live here." She said, turning up her nose.  
"Welcome to casa de la Kaina. How may I help you?"  
"Do I want to feel welcome in here?" she asked.  
"What, I think dirty socks and empty soda bottles should make anyone feel welcome." I joked, picking up one of the socks on the end of my bed and flinging it at her like a sling shot. She dodged out of the way, stepping on an empty soda can.  
"Yowch!" She yelped, jumping on to the beanie chair in the corner. "This room should be decontaminated."  
"Why are you here anyways, Olette." I asked, slowly sneaking my sketch pad under my pillow so that she wouldn't ask to see my drawings like before (which turned out REALLY bad).  
"No reason, My mom just told me to come check on you. After all you got a little crazy town on Hayner today. She wanted to know if you cooled off your steam."  
"You told her about Hayner?" I asked thinking about earlier. "What a jerk. Who would say that?"  
"Hayner, Hayner would say that."  
"True, he just thinks he's better than all of us, doesn't he?"  
Olette looked almost porcelain looking into the distance. "No, I wouldn't say he thinks he's better tan us."  
"Pfft. You're just saying that because you have a crush on the guy."  
The red raised to her cheeks as she gave me a girlish punch to the forearm. "I do not have a crush on Hayner."  
"Can it. It's obvious."  
"…" She sighed and gave me a roll of her eyes. "Fine. I do, but that's not the reason…"  
"But isn't it?" I said, mocking her voice and cutting her off mid-sentence. I laid my head against my cream color cased pillows and stared up at the white ceiling. I could feel Olette's glare burn against the bare skin of my arm.  
"You're completely unwilling, Kaina." She said, breaking my well-enjoyed silence. I sat back up and looked at her, confused by her statement.  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"You're unwilling to open yourself up. You board yourself up from everyone, and everything that strikes you as odd is considered a bad thing."  
"We're still on this whole Hayner situation? Can't we just drop it like everything else?" I asked. I stomped my bare feet on the hard wood floor and looked at the ground. "I mean, seriously, the guy would be thrilled if he found out we were talking about him. Don't give him the glory."  
Olette scoffed and pulled herself up from the beanie chair in anger. "What, so now Hayner's your enemy? God you have the world's shortest temper!" She exclaimed as she waltzed her way towards the door. She reached the knob, but then looked back in my direction. "…Just remember, if it wasn't for us, you would've died on that beach."  
With that, the door was slammed, and the presence of Olette in my room was but a memory. I haven't heard any mentions of that beach since a few months ago when I nearly got into a fist fight with Pence.  
You would've died, bloody and scarred on that beach, if it wasn't for us who found you washed up on the shore. The words echoed in my mind. The beach? How old was I then? Where was I before I lived in castle town? And why was I wounded when they found me?  
I lifted up my shirt near my bellybutton to see the faint scare of what used to be a deep wound. That's where I was bleeding from when they found me. I though, tracing it's rough and bumpy edges. I put my shirt back down, and grabbed my sketch pad out from under my pillow.  
I opened it's brown and peeling cover and looked at the sketches inside. Nothing special, I guess. Olette says I'm pretty good, but all it is, is the crap that comes to my brain. There's a few sketches of a beach. A curved palm tree and the perfect tan tint to the sand. I flipped the pages one by one, each one more confusing than the last. I didn't know what any of them mean, they were all just images that flashed through my head during the day. Some type of oddly shaped star, a closed white rose and a young boy closing his eyes. He looked peaceful, but for some reason, that image will never leave me.  
The drawing that struck me as the most odd, was the one of a girl in a white dress. Her face was covered with a blank expression and she looked almost pained. Her blonde hair crevassed over her left shoulder and her blue eyes looked down at her feet. She had an outstretched hand towards the left edge of the page. Who was she? She seemed familiar, but she was no one I ever seemed to recall meeting.


	3. Chapter 2

_He seemed like a friend. A great friend. His eyes smiled in appreciation of me, as did his pale and thin lips. He was younger, about 12 or 13 years old. His bright blue eyes matching his coat, and his cheeks matching his red jumpsuit. _

_ I missed him, well, at least I thought I did. I knew him right? Then why can't I say his name. I know that I remember it, but why won't the words form at my lips?_

_ He had his hand out, his spiky brown hair holding back to blow in the breeze. He wanted me to take his hand, but I couldn't move. No matter how much I wanted to, I remained still. I was sorry, and I wanted to say so, but again the words wouldn't form. Now he looked hurt, his ocean blue eyes looking down. He backed away from me, his hand descending back to his side._

_ He hurt me, just looking at him, and I missed him. I just had my chance to find him, but now he's gone again…_

A knock on the door's what woke me up. I wanted to be woken up, I guess to escape my dream world. It was the first dream that I've had in weeks. One with image at least.

"Kaina, wake up!" Olette said through the closed door. "My mom said that we could go to the beach with Hayner and Pence today! Wake up!" I could hear the excitement swell in her voice.

I sat up in my bed and stretched my arms up to the ceiling. "I'm awake, gimme a second, would you?" I asked, throwing my legs over the bed and stamping my feet on the cold ground. I lifted my weight, and waltzed the short way over to the hamper. I picked up the clothes on top and gave them a quick sniff. They smelt clean enough, but just in case I took the spay bottle Olette gave me a few months ago, and spritzed some of it's contents on the garnets. It had a nice smell to it, fresh and simple.

I jumped into the black shorts, and pulled the bright green tank top over my head. The shirt was a bit baggy, but it was all I had, coming from Olette's mom's collection. I only had on set of clothes that fit me, and they were the one's they found me in a year ago.

It took me a while to struggle with my mangled mess of bright blue hair. It hung all over the place so I took the majority and tied it up in a dangling bun at the top of my head. Two little strands hand at the side of my face and my slew of blue bangs waved in front of my left eye. I slipped on my boots and zippered up the sides. I guess I was more ready than I'd ever be, so I opened the door and hopped down the stairs.

"So we can seriously go to the beach today?" I asked Olette, walking down the front steps of the little town house.

"Yeah, I mean, you do want to go there right?" She asked, her big brown eyes looking at me in wonder. I stared at the ground, watching the gravel pass by with every step.

"Well, I don't know. I've never really been there before. I mean, I know what one looks like, but I've never actually-"

"Yeah, I understand." She said, cutting off my sentence. I guess I could understand why though. We were gaining in on Hayner's house after all. And there he was, in all of his glory, perched on one of the stairs.

"Hey guys." He said, with a blank expression. "We ready?"

I nodded and looked the other way. "What about Pence? He's coming."

"Hey…guys…" I heard, approaching our sides from the left. Pence was running down the hill on his way to reach us. He going fact for a heavier set boy, his bandana flapping back in face. He came to a halt and nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

"That answer your question?" Hayner asked with a cold tone. He leapt off of the porch and landed next to Pence, nearly scaring the boy out of his skin. I rolled my eyes and looked back at Olette who was looking the other way, most likely to stay out of the situation.

"Are we ready to go?" I asked her. She looked back up and nodded with the most innocent smile. Pence nodded too and Hayner just glared off into the distance, like a jerk.

We started walking towards the Tram station, too tired to run from yesterday. All was silent except for Pence's occasional huff and puff and Olette's occasional hum to kill the awkward tension. I stared at the ground as I walked, pacing my feet step by step.

When we reached the station and opened the big glass gates into the ticket center. "We all have our own munny, right?" Olette asked, directing her eyes towards Pence. He nodded bulling out a wallet pouch, and smiled.

"Yes, for once." He said, placing a few golden coins into his hand. I saw Hayner do the same and then Olette, grabbing the munny out of her pouch for the both of us. She out stretched her hand to me, and placed the munny inside.

"Give your munny to Kaina. She'll get the tickets, right?" Olette asked, her eyes wide and begging.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." I said taking the munny from both of the guys. I walked up to the ticket stand and stood before the salesman. He was a short man with spiky grey hair and a mole under his left eye.

"Greetings young lady," He said in a welcoming tone. "How may I be of assistance this morning?"

I set the munny on the counter in front of him, and displayed my best possible smile. "Four tickets to the beach please mister."

He smiled and scraped the munny behind the thick sheet of glass. He reached down underneath the counter and pulled up four brightly colored tickets. "Here you go, miss. The next tram to Destiny islands leaves in 15 minutes. Enjoy your day at the beach."

I took the tickets from his hand and smiled. "Have a nice d-.." before I could get the rest of the sentence down, a thick pain grew in my temple. It felt as if someone was splitting my head right down the center. I could hear myself mumble and groan, the pain beginning to pulse.

"Miss are you alright?" The man asked, stepping out from behind the counter. I could feel my friends behind me as well.

"Yes I am…Where did you say we were going again?" I asked the man who was now by my side. "You said Destiny Islands, right?"

The old man nodded. "That is where you wanted to go, correct?" He asked, looking at the tickets in my hand. "That's the only beach around here that I know of."

"Destiny…Islands…" I whispered to myself._ Destiny…Islands…_

"You sure you're okay, Kaina? You looked like death back there." Pence said, shifting in his uncomfortable tram seat. We were on board now, on our way to the beach.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little light headed, no reason to worry for me. None at all." I said, releasing my most fake smile I had to give.

"Well I'm just glad you didn't pass out back there. That would've really sucked." Hayner chimed in, to my surprise.

"Why, because you wouldn't get your precious day at the beach. That's probably all you care about, isn't it? Yourself!" I yelped back.

"That's not what I meant at all, Kaina."

"Or is it because I'm a girl. To frail and weak to put up with herself."

"Will you let that go!?"

"No, I will not and I-"

"SHUT UP!" Olette yelped, catching us both off guard. She's never been the one to yell in public. Even though we were the only one's one the tram, it was still unusual. "Don't you understand anything, Kaina. Sympathy or Care? You really don't have a heart, do you?"

"Maybe not," I said, focusing out the window. "maybe I don't have a heart, and I can't feel anything. Or maybe he's just a jerk!"

"No, he's not…" Pence said in a hushed tone. "Can we please get over this and enjoy the beach. It's the last six days of summer, and we need to make them last."

"I agree." Olette said standing up. "And look!" She pointed out the window, and my eyes followed her finger until they were looking at open blue waters.

"Whoa…"

"Yeah, Whoa."

Destiny Islands was everything I suspected. The silky smooth sand that tickled under my feet, the warm summer sun that burned against my back and the crystal blue ocean. I felt like I belonged here that this was somewhere I could fit in and be one with myself.

I watched as the others ran in the water, splashing the water and throwing the sand. Pence would belly flop on the ground, causing the water to splash over Hayner. Olette would run as fast as she could to avoid getting wet. I sat alone on the warm tan sand, running my fingers through the familiar smoothness.

And that's when I saw it. The tree from my sketches and deans, the one that curved at an angle, suitable to be sat on. I picked my self off the ground and headed towards the dock and to the tree. It was so real and so lifelike. This time I could actually sit on it and feel the bark under my fingertips. I hoisted my self up and over, and hung my legs over the side. It was perfect, just perfect.

"Destiny Islands…" I sighed, leaning up against the tree. "…What really are you?"

"I'm not quite sure of that answer, either…" I heard a voice behind me. I leapt to my feet and turned around.

That was my first encounter with one of the kind, but everything seemed so familiar. The hooded figure, clothed in all black and no signs of a face.

"Wh-who are you?" I asked, getting ready to sprint if I was in any type of danger. I backed up a little and looked at the hooded figure. It was silent, towering over me. The voice was familiar, and I'd recognize it anywhere. It was the voice of the young man who talked in my sleep. "I said, who are you!? Answer me!"

"There's no need to answer a question you , yourself, already know the answer to, Kairi." He spoke. He moved closer, leaning against the tall tree.

"Kairi? Who's K-" the pain rose back into my temple, stronger this time. It caused me to collapse. Onto the cool sand and sinking into oblivion.


	4. Chapter 3

"Kaaaaiiiina…..Kaaaaiiiina…wake up…"

A voice dinged in my ear, scratchy and un presentable. About the worst voice you'd want to wake you up from whatever sleep you dove into. Pence's.

I opened my eyes and found his full round face smiling about 7 inches away from mine. It caught me off guard and I fell backwards off the tree I was napping on. I plopped onto the sand and looked up.

"Good god, Pence. Your face isn't the first thing I'd want to see in the morning." I said, picking myself up from the ground. I brushed myself off and saw that Hayner and Olette were there as well, giggling next to him.

"But it's not morning, it's 2 in the afternoon. You've been sleeping up here for 2 hours." He said, looking back at the two others who nodded in agreement.

"Two hours…but I-"

"You must've just been tired from being so cranky lately." Hayner joked, not tickling my funny bone. Olette gave him a quick shove and glared him down, which made me feel a little better.

"So I fell asleep on that tree. No one moved me up there?" I asked. Pence nodded.

"Not that I know of. We couldn't find you. We thought you were still sitting on the shore, but when we looked back, you were gone. Olette spotted you up here."

"Oh" I said thinking about the man in the black coat. Where did he come from? A dream, but it seemed so real. It must've been a dream then, right?

"Come on Kaina! You've been lugging around here all day!" Olette said. She had a tight death grip on my wrist and was pulling me towards the water. I, myself, was struggling from her grip. I didn't want to wade around where sharks float and fish poop. I was perfectly fine watching from afar on my little patch of sand.

"Let go!" I yelped, trying to wriggle free, but failing miserably. It was no use, I knew I was going to lose this battle. Olette let go of my wrist as soon as we we're near Pence and Hayner, who were continuously splashing water into each other's faces. She ran to join them, and motioned to me.

"Do I really have to?" I mumbled as I floated more towards the crowd. Olette was already splashing and playing around that she already forgot my presence. Or did she?

As soon as I got close enough, all three dipped their hands in the water and splashed the Luke-warm water onto my skin. I screamed a little as the liquid streamed down my face and down to my chin. It tasted salty, like the flavor of a sea-salt ice-cream bar, without the sweet.

"What was that for?!" I asked, wiping the water from my face, not doing me any justice. I took my hand and ran it under the crystal blue. It was smooth and familiar, like from a dream. The shades of blue that greet me when I close my eyes.

When I closed my eyes for the slightest blink, I felt myself slipping under. My eyelids began to become heavy, and my head was light. There was no pain this time, just the exhaustion. The vision of the three began to become blurry and white, fading fast.

"Hayner…Pence…Olette…." I muttered, they didn't turn, but continued to play in the waves. I stumbled back and forth, keeping my balance and not falling into the water. I kept my eye on the three, stumbling closer, but seeming to be pulled farther and farther away. The waves were now picking out a steady and fast pace current. The wind was swirling viciously around the island, picking up pieces of debris and flinging them every which way. The clouds darkened, ominously closing in. There was something coming, and it was worse then a storm.

I stared above the heads of my friends to see the worse asset of all. It stood, closing in, about 10 feet tall off the shore line, looming in the aura of mass destruction. It was a giant wall of water, hanging and ready to spiral down.

"HAYNER! PENCE! OLETTE!" I yelled to the highest of my ability. They couldn't hear me. They had to hear me, or they would regret it. "HAYNER!PENCE!OL-"

Something stopped me from getting my friends attention. Maybe it was that they weren't there anymore, but replaced by a single boy. He looked young but strangely mature . His hair was long and pure white with a silver hue and his clothes were odd, made for someone to live around here. On this island.

"Get out of there!" I yelled. I tried to run, but my feet were stuck to the ground. They felt as if they were glued there. "You have to get out! You're going to be killed!"

The boy wasn't listening but looking at me like he knew me. His eyes had some sort of familiar shade and edge. When he looked at me, It felt like a cut through to the gut. I grasped the pain collecting at my stomach, returning with my own blood stained on my hand. My scar was open and bleeding. But it's been closed for nearly a year. How did this happen?

There was no time to recollect, the wave was closing in one the boy, threatening to swallow him whole. He looked behind him, noticing the wave for the first time, but not a single sign of fear showed through his face.

"Please!" I yelled "You have to get out of there!"

But he stayed. He stayed perfectly still, staring at the wave. Ready for it's destruction of his being. Why can't I move? I'm so helpless. Where were my friends? They could help him, couldn't they?

It was too late to call for any help. The wave billowed over, drowning the boy under it's claim. My eyes forced to watch. He was gone, he who stood valiant before the storm.

_Do you think she sees me? Is she understanding what I'm trying to tell her? I need to try harder, don't I? I'm confusing her… Heh, she always was a hardhead…_

Black.

Right after he vanished, everything went completely black. The island was gone. The sand, the water, the trees and the boy…gone.

Was I dead? Is this what it was like to be dead? No, it couldn't be,. I could feel the rhythm of my breathing, hear the pulse in my ears. I was sleeping.

I pried open my heavy eyelids and was greeted by the warm Twilight Town glow. I was home, in my own room, nestled in my warm sheets. The windows were open, letting through the warm summer breeze.

I sat my self upright and looked down at my floor. It was perfectly clean. No cans or bottles to be found. The clothes were neatly hung in the open closet and the books neatly stacked on the nightstand. This was clearly the work of Olette. I knew because I was an expert of telling these things.

Or maybe it was because she was passed out in the beanie chair in the corner of the room. Either way, I'm still the expert.

I placed my feet on the floor quietly, and stood up from my bed. As soon as I was standing, I automatically felt the pressure of the world on my shoulders. My head started spinning, and the weight pulled me down to the ground.

Olette sprung to her feet in response. I don't know if it was the massive thud, or the Screeching noise I made. Either way, she made her way to me, smiling the widest humanly possible smile.

"Your awake!" She said, sitting down next to me on the cold wooden floor.

"Yup. Is that…some sort of big deal? Did I miss something?" I asked, trying to pick myself back up. I was stopped by Olette's arm on my shoulder.

"No, you didn't miss anything. We made sure of it." She said lifting up her weight to sit on the bed. "We made sure you didn't miss anything for 6 days."

I looked up at her with a disgusted expression. "6 days, you mean, I was asleep for 6 freaking days?"

"Well, when you passed out at the train station, we brought you back here to rest. It's been six days since then."

"Train station, but what about the beach!? You mean, you didn't go?" I uttered in complete shock, remembering the sounds and smells of the ocean that I swore were real.

"Yup, the nice man at the ticket booth helped carry you back here, he seemed to be really worried about you."

"And you're _sure _I was out for six days?"

"I counted them myself." She said, counting to six on her fingers. She held them up and smiled. "Hey, consider yourself lucky."

"Why's that?"

"While you were out, Hayner, Pence and I had to work on our book projects. You're lucky you already did yours"

I laughed and looked at the book shelf. "Had that thing done since the first week of vacation."

"Yeah, well you're lucky. All you usually ever do is write or draw. That seems to be the only thing your mind is set on. " She said, picking herself up from the bed. "I mean, you're a good athlete but you never want to have anything to do with the outside world. Do you?"

"It's not that I don't…" I said, turning my head to look out the open window. It _was _beautiful outside. "it's just-"

"It's okay." Olette said, cutting me off mid sentence. "Whatever it is, I mean, it's what makes you unique."

"I guess." I said, focusing back on the clean room. I was sick and tired of helplessly sitting on the floor. I held my hand out for Olette who managed to hoist me onto my feet.

"By the way, like your room?" She asked, setting me down on my bed.

"It's very…clean."

"I know, unusual for _you._" She joked. She walked to the door and twisted the knob. "I'm gunna let you get ready. I'll go tell Hayner and Pence that you're awake."

"Why, what are we doing today?" I asked, standing up again.

"I'm not sure. Something exciting though. It is the last day of summer, after all."

Crap.

It took me a little longer getting ready. My head was whirling and light. Images of my dream continued to circle and often surface into view. It was mainly the boy in the water, becoming engulfed by the wave. His face was stern and non-caring, looking at what was soon to be his doom. He was so familiar, but at the same time distant from memory. I tried not to think about him and continued to get dressed.

I made my way into the closet which was brand new to my eyes. I noticed my original clothes folded on the top shelf. The clothes they found me in on the beach. Looking at them now, they seemed strange. There were zippers crossing every which way on the short sleeved purple coat, the orange undershirt had a long silver zipper running down the center and the black pants were thin, but looked as if they would be a struggle in the summer air. They were nothing like the clothes you'd find in a closet around here.

I slipped the orange undershirt over my head, long blue hairs getting stuck on the zipper in the process. Next I slipped on the purple coat and thin black pants. I zipped the coat up half way, covering the slit through my orange shirt it was where I'd been cut. It fit perfectly over the scar, almost paining me to look at it, even though I couldn't remember how it happened.


	5. Chapter 4

"Well look who finally decides to wake up." I heard Pence say as I walked down the porch steps. "It's been a while." He said, punching my arm as soon as I got close enough.

"Yup. She woke up this afternoon, oblivious to the fact that she was out for six days." Olette informed them, laughing softly to herself. Pence laughed as well, leaning against the post of one of the small town houses. Hayner stood, quietly next to Olette, smiling to himself. I sighed and walked up to him. Even though I didn't want to, it was time to break up the tension with this guy.

"Hayner." I said, catching his attention with the rasp in my voice. I guess sleeping for six days only helped with making my throat feel like sand paper.

"Yeah, what is it?" He asked with confidence. A confidence that made me want to forget apologizing, and elbow him straight in the jaw, but it was too late now. Not when I had _everyone's _attention.

"Listen," I started, switching my balance from my left to my right foot. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry for acting like a jerk. I shouldn't have taken you so literally, y'know, when you said-"

"I understand, no need to go into detail." He said (God, what is it with people and cutting me off today). "I felt bad about what I said."

"Well I know that it was stupid of me to- wait, you felt bad?" I asked, not processing that shock of words that just spewed out of his mouth.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I think everyone should have the chance to enter the struggle competition. I'm even going to ask the town if they'll let girls enter next year, that way, you could roll some heads." He said, leaning against Olette. She lightly shoved him to the side and blushed.

"I'm not a _wall, _Hayner. I'm a human being." She said, brushing off her shirt nervously.

"I dunno, Ol. You look a little like a wall to me." I said, joking knocking my knuckles against her head. She laughed, bushing my wrist away from her forehead.

"Are we going to do something or not. We could always choose to waste away the last day of our summer vacation." She said, looking at her nails.

"Now that wouldn't be good, would it?" I said, mocking Olette's tone. I looked at Hayner and Pence, and decided. "Race You To The Sandlot!" I turned quickly in the direction and sprinted as fast as I could. This time I wasn't going to give up. I was _going_ to win.

Hayner was stuck to my tail, waiting for me to give in, but today wasn't going to be his day. It was mine. Sleeping for so long seemed to open my competitive spirit. All I wanted right now was to turn out valiant for once. I seemed to lose my weakness, I was no longer lightheaded with the warm breeze stinging against my face. It seemed to wake up my senses, bringing me back to life from the dead.

I looked back every now and then, seeing Hayner's frustration made me smile. _Not today._ I thought. We seemed to lose the others far back, which wasn't odd. They usually stayed behind us, too tired to really move on.

We edged into the sand lot, slowly easing down our movements to a complete stop. Hayner sat on the smooth ground and threw his head back.

"You…won…" He said, short of his breath.

"I did, didn't I?" I said, un phased from the strenuous work out, I mockingly put my hands to my hips and raised my head valiantly.

"Good job…Kaina. That was a…first." He said, picking himself from the ground, "I'll get you next time though."

I let out a short chuckle and smiled. "I highly doubt it, pretty boy. Sleeping for so long gave me all the rest I need to kick your butt."

"You wish, Blue." He said, reaching his hand out to mess with my hair. "You're not going to beat me 2 times in a row. That would just be luck." He sat down on one of the benches, crossing his leg against his knee. Sitting like any boy of his "standard" would sit.

"Where's Olette and Pence? Wouldn't you think they'd be making their way to us right about now?" I asked, looking down the path from where we came. They'd usually be making their way, jogging, panting and gasping for air.

"They probably stopped for some air, you know how Pence can be. Remember when he collapsed on Ol-"

Hayner paused to make way for a sharp and painful scream. It was obvious who it came from, the high tone pitch gave it away.

"Olette!" I said, racing toward the pathway. Hayner leapt to his feet and followed behind me. We curved the opposite way and up the alleyway and to where they were standing. I few paces further, and I was startled at what I saw.

Olette was held up against one of the alley walls. Right next to a sign that read "Sea salt ice cream: Try some today!". Pence was in front of her, holding a stick for protection, blocking her off from something. He was shaking, and something was making him act this way.

Suddenly, Pence's trembling stopped. He stood there, as still as stone. Olette's eyes were closed, pressed in fear.

"Hayner, what's their-" I turned around, nearly jumping in astonishment. Behind me stood Hayner, perfectly preserved in a running stance. His arms at his sides, elbows bent. His one foot was up in the air, levitated, the other was bent at an unnatural pose. Everything seemed to stop, even the breeze was at a halt. "….problem…"

_What .just happened? _I asked myself. _Is this another dream?_ I stepped a little closer to where Pence and Olette stood, frozen. There was something down the other pathway where they came from. They were trying to get away from it, it seemed. I grabbed the stick from Pence's hand and walked towards the opening.

"Who's there!?" I called out, grasping the stick in both hands "Show yourself!" I took a few steps closer landing myself under the pathway and as if on perfect cue, three tall and lanky creatures fell from above.

I almost fell back, catching myself with my heels and bringing myself back into a fighting position. The creatures move in a rhythmic pattern. Their white clad bodies jumped around, refusing to be hit.

I swung stick trying to hit the one in front of me. It kept jumping out of the way and moving back and forth. It quickly took a leap over my head, leaving me blindsided and open. Before I could turn around it quickly made a swift gash to my back, sending me flying.

"Gah!" I yelped in surprise. The wound didn't seem to deep, but it stung and pulsed, hurting every time I tried to move. "That's it, you little jerk." I said, holding the stick closer to my waist. I felt some type of heat wave pass through me. It reached all the way to my waist, leaving the rest of my body cold.

I took a starting leap, hurtling toward the enemy, whaling the stick in the air. I was ready to bash the things brains in, whatever it took, but that was delayed.

As if in slow motion, as black blurred figure rushed out in front of my view. It landed in front of the white monsters and snapped a black gloved finger. As soon as the high pitch snap sounded, all the white figures vanished. Just like that, all of them were gone, leaving the one in the black cloak.

"What-" I started, "what were those things?" I asked, taking a few steps back from the one in the black. It was the same cloak I saw in my dream on the beach, the silver strings hanging in the front, the chains, the long zipper down the middle.

"Those were called dusk, and they seemed to take their job _very_ seriously." A man's voice said. The hood of his coat was still covering his face, his voice was rough and sarcastic.

"What do you mean? What were they supposed to do?"

I heard some sort of sharp laughter coming from underneath the hood. "They were supposed to lead me to you, Kaina."

I glanced behind my shoulder, making sure I was the only one who could see this. "How do you know my name? Who are you?" I asked, holding my stick up higher.

"Heh, a stick. You call that a weapon? Umm, I don't think so." He said, "You look like you could use a lesson, my dear. So why not try to take on the _master!_" He held out both his hands, unnaturally calling flames to his command. They circled his hands in a non stop motion, creating some sort of weapon at his finger tips. They were two circles, flaming red and eye piercing silver. They were stunningly deadly.

"What the-" I said, stumbling back, this time falling flat on my butt.

"Pretty neat, eh?" He paced slowly, closer and closer to where I sat.

I tried to crab walk away on my hands, but I couldn't move. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do it. The same way I couldn't move when the boy was pulled under the water.

"What do you want with me?" I asked, gripping the stick that was still in my hand. "Why do I keep seeing you? Why are you following me!?"

"Me? I don't recall perusing you any other day but today. You must be seeing things."

"I'm not seeing things, I know this is only a dream. You only appear in my dreams. You and your stupid little coat!"

"Oh, so it's the coat you recognize, thus proving it wasn't me. There _are _14 of us, you know."

"Fourteen of who!? Who the hell are you!?" I demanded, griping the stick harder. I felt the wood gashing into my skin, the pain was somewhat soothing on my bare palms. I felt the same warm sensation that was gathered at my waist rise to my chest, bubbling in anger and rage. The stick in my hand started to feel hot, like it was no longer wood, but metal.

The man stepped back, staring at my hand in astonishment. "Now I know why the superior sent us to find you." He said, glaring down. What was so special about holding a stick? It was wooden, it broke easily and it couldn't hit for crap. I looked down at my hand and realized I wasn't holding that same stick. I wasn't holding any stick for a matter of fact.

What was in my hand was some sort of blade. It was more of a rounded ram type weapon. The hilt was a bright yellow, shining in the time-stopped sun. A small chain spiraled off the top, leading down to a small pendant with a symbol that was oddly familiar. The whole thing was familiar to me, like I've seen it some where before my life in Twilight Town. The last thing I noticed was the end of the blade. It gave the image to the whole blade. The key. That's what it was meant to be right? An overgrown key.

"Well, well." The man said, re capturing my attention. "Never thought I'd see another like you. Thought there were only two left. Looks like I was wrong."

"What are you talking about. You sound crazy, especially to a girl who is poorly informed on the subject." I snapped, lunging forward. Surprisingly the force that bound me to the ground gave way and seemed to shatter into a million crystals. I leapt up quickly, and held the key to my side, slashing at the man in black. He took a careless step back held back his weapons.

"Now, now Kaina. There's no need to get feisty with me." He said. He held the weapons away from his body, causing them to vanish with a cock of his head. Flames embellished the air, the weapons seeming to crumble into ash.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked for the second time.

What I got in response was a low scoff. "You really want to know, do you." He said, making a smart-aleck gesture with his hands. "Fine, if you really_ must _know."

I watched as he slowly grabbed his hood, lifting it around his blaze of red hair. His mouth smiled back at me, somewhat of a sinister grin. His hair spiked up his head in a bright red hue, as red as the fire he seemed to control. The thing that threw me off were his emerald green eyes. I was expecting maybe red or gold, but why green?

"Name's Axel. Got it memorized?" He said, and like a flash of light, his weapons were back in his grasp as he lunged for my direction, catching me off guard. Rendered Unconscious…


	6. Chapter 5

_Who is this? Why are you just standing there, haunting my dreams? Don't you know how hard it is, just to watch from a distance? I know that I know you from somewhere. You're a lost friend, the one I can no longer connect with. I miss you, don't you see that!? We made a promise, and we promised we'd see each other again…I hope you still hold that promise…Because, even when I can't remember you, I still keep it…_

_ …Sora…_

I squirmed in the sun light. I could feel it baking my skin. Did I fall asleep somewhere again? Pass out on the street while I was running with Hayner. Sheesh, what has gotten into me recently. Passing out or falling asleep everywhere I went. I was despicable.

I opened my eyes, slowly, collecting the scene in front of me. A head hung in my view, staring down at me with wide open blue eyes.

"Holy-" I bolted upwards, only to smack heads with the one who looked down at me. I quickly pulled away, using my hand to add pressure to the already developing bump.

"Ouch! Holy crap, you have a hard head!" I heard a voice coming from behind me "I mean, sorry, but…"

I took my hand off my head to notice where we were. On top of the Station tower. This was our hang out. Hayner, Olette, Pence and I would come up here everyday to eat sea-salt ice cream.

I looked behind my shoulder, greeted by the face that once lay dangling over me in my slumber. His Blonde hair spiked at the front, some falling by his bright blue eyes. He wore the same cloak as that flame-y Axel guy. I know that I've seen him before, heard his voice, looked into his ocean blue eyes.

"Wh-Who are you?" I asked looking down. I didn't want to look at him any more, he was too familiar it pained me. I could see his feet treading closer to where I stood, holding my bruising forehead."

"I'm sorry for startling you." He said, completely ignoring the question.

"It's fine. I'm alright."

"You don't look like it."

"I might be better if you answered my question." I said, looking back up at his face. "Who are you?"

For a second, all I got was a quick sigh, no response. Just before I was about to ask again, more aggressively this time…

"I'm Roxas." He said, closing his mouth and smiling. "Axel sent me here to keep an eye on you."

"Axel. You mean the freak with all the flames." I said, remembering my battle with him. I thought all that was a dream, until I started to feel the pain gather at my back, where I was hit by that _dusk _thing.

"Yes, I do mean that 'freak with the flames'. He can be a real pain, but he does mean well."

"Doesn't seem like it when the guy tries to kill you."

"He wasn't trying to kill you." Roxas said. He swung his legs over the edge of the tower, dangling them off the side. It took all my might not to find myself a seat next to the stranger. He was a stranger, right?

A strange sound came from my right. It was as if something had slit open, breaking and releasing it's contents. I jumped back, looking in it's direction. Some sort of dark oval was lurking from where the sound came. Out popped the red headed wonder, with another one of his hooded comrades.

"Oh, what a great surprise. She's awake." Axel said dryly, finding his spot next to Roxas. "Thanks for keeping an eye on her bud." He said, knocking his fist into Roxas' shoulder. He flinched from the slight impact, but didn't say a word.

I noticed that the other hooded member stay put, quiet and calm by the dark portal. The hood was still over their head, covering the face from view. Axel turned around, looking in the direction of the other. He motioned and patted the empty space next to him.

"Elaxine, sit and stay a while, It's not everyday you get to enjoy a view like this." Axel said, smiling at the hooded one. It nodded and put it's hands over the hood pulling it down behind her neck.

She was a girl, odd and unique looking. She had snow white hair with black gathering at the tips, her skin was almost as pale as mine. Her eyes were strange, maybe about the strangest pair I've ever seen. One was a bright crystal blue, like Roxas', but the other was completely without the iris with a strange mark gathering underneath. She walked gracefully to Axel and swung her legs over the edge like the other two.

I stood behind them, watching as they gazed at the burning sun. I leaned against the back of the tower, arms crossed against my chest. I was aggravated and I wanted some answers. I didn't want to sit around and watch some bozo's in black jackets sit back and enjoy the shining sun. Too sappy. I took a deep sigh, catching the attention of Axel who gave a quick chuckle.

"Sorry, I almost forgot about our lovely guest!" He chimed, a voice dripping wet in sarcasm. "Wouldn't you care to join us, Kaina?"

"If that's what's gunna get me the answers I need,"

"Sit down, and you'll get your answers."

I walked up to them and hauled my legs over the edge next to Roxas. I glanced over quickly to see that he was looking at me. Studying me. I then felt some sort of burn at my cheeks, making me want to scratch them off.

I leaned over to see Axel and raised an eyebrow, "So?"

"So, what," He said, pausing. I could tell that he knew what I was talking about. "Oh, yes, your _answers_. Well, to make this short and sweet, we need you to come with us. Leave this little town of yours and come be with us."

"What!?" I pushed my hands against the cool brick edge and bolted up. "No! there's no way I'm going with you guys!" I turned around slowly, careful not to find myself hurtling down the tower, and got down from the edge. I looked at Them quickly, their faces blank and emotionless, then I shifted my weight and bolted down to the exit.

It took all of my might to race down to the bottom of the tower. Gasping for air, I leapt out of the building and onto the streets of Twilight town.

"Hayner! Pence! Olette!" I yelled, searching the streets for my friends. I turned the bend and noticed the three most familiar faces to my memory. They were still here, frozen in complete fear. "No…" I mumbled, falling to my knees.

"You see their faces. Frozen in time, scared like a bunch of children." I heard from behind me. Axel stood above me, looking at the faces of my friends. "All that can change if you just accept it, Kaina…"

"Accept What!?" I screamed, clenching my hands into fists. I felt the burning rage from before. It was rising just past my waist.

"Whoa, whoa…calm down there…"

"Why aren't you answering me!? What am I supposed to accept!?"

The rage bubbled back up to my chest, causing my palms to sweat and burn. Out of instinct, I reached them out in front of my waist and turned them horizontally. In some sort of burst of glimmering shards, the same key from before appeared in my hands.

"Accept that," Axel said, pointing to the key. "Accept the Keyblade."

_The Keyblade! That's what they mentioned in my dream! The two men mention something called a Keyblade!_

"What is it?" I asked, holding it in front of my face, examining every crease and crevasse. It was weird to suddenly notice something that's been haunting your dreams for months now. It felt like I found a missing piece of some sort of puzzle.

"I'm not one to explain, but if you come with us…"

"Why! What's in it for me if I go with you!? What happens to my friends? They're going to miss me if I'm gone."

"You're friends are going to be fine, trust me."

"I don't know if I can…"

Axel sighed deeply and caught my gaze. "Just think, Kaina. Haven't you always wondered where you came from. You've forgotten, haven't you?"

"You know way too much about me, Axel."

"Glad you got the name memorized." He smirked.

"What do you know about my past? Is there something you're not telling me!? If so tell me now, before you're paying for it!" I demanded, holding the key out in front of me.

"Oh, please, you've only summoned that thing like, what, twice? Give me a break."

"Answer my Questions!?"

Axel mumbled something under his breath, loud enough for me to hear it. "Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?" He said.

Okay, now this guy was getting on my nerves, "What do you know about me!?"

"I know nothing about you, but if you come with us you'll be able to find yourself in the process. You can find out who you are, where you came from, anything you want…"

I looked down at my feet. Did I really even have a choice? If I didn't go with them, he wouldn't unfreeze my friends, would he? I had to do this for them, to save them. I looked back at their scarred faces and sighed.

"Fine…I'll go with you…but my friends, unfreeze them now, or no deal." I said, dropping the key to my side. As it fell to my hip, it retracted back into thin air.

"Fine, deal." He said, snapping his fingers.

Just like the disappearing monsters earlier today, my frozen friends quickly vanished into thin air. Right before my eyes, they were gone. The town suddenly got darker, the sky hung jeweled with stars.

"What just happened?" I asked, stepping backwards in awe. "Where did they go? What happened to the sky?"

"Quite an inquisitive one, now are we?" He joked, shoving his elbow into my side. "Heh, I changed the day back to normal, as if nothing ever happened. You're little friends lived their everyday lives."

"Oh," I said in relief. At least they were all safe, ready for school in the morning.

Axel, moved his hand against the newly flowing night breeze. From the tips of his fingers he created the black portal I saw from before. It's dark, ominous colors mixed together, tempting the eyes and creating a flowing illusion.

"Axel! Wait!" I heard behind us. Elaxine ran up to view, holding something black in her arms. "Xigbar told me to bring this to you. The superior want's her to wear it to the castle. He says it will keep her out of harms way." She held the folded coat out in front of her, looking at me with her oddly beautiful eyes.

"Thanks," I said, taking the cloak from her hands. I unfolded the creases, revealing the now familiar sight. The famous black cloak. I unzipped the front and slipped it on top of my other clothing. The cloak flowed his the breeze, the heavy assets of silver strings and chains hanging from the neck.

"Perfect." Axel said, smiling down at me. "now you even look the part." He took a few steps forward into the portal, disappearing into the darkness, Elaxine following behind him.

What was I getting myself into? If this was a dream, it was by far the realest one I've had to date. There was no way it couldn't be real, my back still stung from a few hours ago, that's no dream. And now I was leaving my home, following some people I just met today. A man who knocked me out cold in order to capture me.

I still had time just to turn around and flee, run in the opposite direction, but for some reason I didn't want to. Axel was a bit of a nut job, and Elaxine kept to herself from what it seemed…but Roxas…I know that he has something to do with me. He's the reason I'm following them, isn't he?

I took a few steps forward, and found myself engulfed in the darkness of the portal.

Was it because he seemed amiable…

…Or because he had the same eyes as the brown haired boy in my dream…


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6-

White. A white, clean and perfect slate. Pure and clean around the edges. Nothing was out of color, the tables the walls, the curtains, the floors and the girl. She sat on a pure white chair, white dress dangling over the sides. Her folded yellow hair lay on her left shoulder, her pale blue eyes concentrating on the art she had tried hard to perfect. A blank slate now ruined with colors, bright oranges and blues spilled out onto the page. It was just the way she imagined it, just the way she saw the picture in her mind. But who was she? Who was this girl she was imagining? Her hair, messy and waved in blue, her clothes were bright with vibrant colors. Her eyes…her eyes looked just like hers, the pale blue that most people her kind bared. The copies.  
"Namine? " An accented voice said from the door. The girl, Namine, rose from her spot at the window, and opened the door. There, standing in front of her was an tall man in a red and black robe, cloth of the same color lined his face, leaving only one eye in view. She knew this man very well. It was the man who took her in, the one who saved her from those in the black coats. She shuttered at the memories.  
"We need to speak with you," He said, turning around. He started walking down the hall, full of dull and neutral colors. She followed him, wherever he was leading her. And what did he mean by "we"?

The spiraling menace of dark colors faded to reveal somewhere other than twilight town. It was a large, circular room filled with tall pillars. I looked up, staring at the white and grey ceiling. It seemed like it would never end, the room just continued and continued…I suddenly wanted to run away, run from the never ending maze, but something was holding me back.  
I turned around to notice that my company was gone, leaving me alone to stand in this mind wonderland. My eyes looked up again, and then down one of the pillars. Sitting at the top was someone in a black coat, like the three others. I spun around, my eyes registering that there were 14 of them, all at the top of their pedestal.  
"Comrades," I heard a booming voice come from the tallest pillar. I lead my eyes up to the top where the member sat. I couldn't see very well, being at the bottom of the high pillars and all, so I had to squint in order to see his face. He was tan, long white hair falling at his sides. I couldn't quite tell if he was young or old from this far, but he seemed important. "Today we gather to welcome yet another to wear the coat." I continued looking up, shivering at the deep and intense tone in his voice. I watched as a black glove clad hand reached downwards, motioning to me. "I welcome number 15, another asset of the Keyblade."

Number 15...was that…me?

A few minutes after my welcome, Axel came through one of those Portal's, ready to take me to wherever it was I needed to go. When the darkness cleared, some sort of bedroom surfaced to my vision. It was the most dull place, only the colors of white and grey could be found. It was a lot bigger than my other attic bedroom at Olette's house, which I didn't need. Space wise, I was perfectly fine with the smallest seeing that I don't have much to my name.  
"You should get some rest," Axel said, turning to walk out. "Training starts tomorrow. Both you and Roxas, so be prepared."  
"Training, what do you mean? What am I going to do?" I asked, still confused as to why I was here and why I needed a number. I didn't even bother asking him where I was or why I was here, I knew I would only receive a half baked answer so I kept my mouth shut.  
"Well, you need to get that Keyblade of yours in check, training you is basically the only way." He said, turning out the door.

I flopped on my bed, feeling no need to even yell or be angry like I wanted to. What the heck was happening to me? I had so many questions right now, and I know Axel wouldn't answer them. I was stuck wasn't I, all alone, by myself. I laid my head down on a pillow, staring up at the grey ceiling.  
"Kaina," I heard at my door, bolting upwards in surprise. Standing there was the spiky blonde haired boy, Roxas, smiling and entering at his own will.  
"Oh, hey, I didn't know you were there…" I said, swinging my feet back over the edge of the bed. My toes hung over the cool cement floor, dangling in mid air.  
"Sorry to startle you," He started "I just wanted to, get a chance to actually meet you." He leaned up against the entry way and smiled. I smiled quickly, then let it fade away, still confused. "You okay?"  
"I'm fine. Just a little-"  
"Confused?" He said, finishing my sentence. I nodded and looked down, staring at where my feet were. "I was too when I was first brought here."  
Brought here? What is this place? Why are we here? Why did they take me? For some reason, all my questions moved to the back of my brain when I looked at him. The only thing I wanted to know is how I knew him, why he was so familiar.  
"Oh," I said, twisting my long blue hair in a loop around my finger. It was stupid, but I mean, what else could I have said to a stranger. And he was a stranger, I refused to tell myself otherwise.  
"So," He said, breaking the silence, and still not finding the liberty to turn away and walk out, "You…wield, the Keyblade?" He asked, scratching the back of his head. He seemed more confused than shy to talk to me, that made two of us.  
"Keyblade, Keyblade…I've heard that word so many times today, and I don't even know what it is, or where it came from." I said, sounding slightly more aggressive than I wanted to. Roxas didn't seem to mind though. His face was stern and understanding, like he knew exactly what I was talking about, and related to every word.  
"I know," He said, reaching a hand out in front of him. Appearing in the blank space of his hand was a chunky yellow, overgrown key. The keychain dangled from the end, just like I had seen earlier in my own hands.  
At his free will, he plopped himself down in the open space on the bed. He held the key out in front of him and sighed. "I guess it's supposed to be 'special'. It's why Xemnas wants the wielders so bad, at least that's what Axel tells me…"  
"Xemnas…Is that the man with the white hair. The one atop the highest pillar." I asked, looking down at the floor. "The one who told me my number…"  
"15," Roxas said, turning his head in my direction. I nodded, remembering the dark and deep voice which had spoken to me in the dull, circular room. "Yeah, he's their leader."  
"Their?"  
"The organizations"  
"Organization?"  
"Yeah, Organization Thirteen."  
"Thirteen?"  
"Well I guess you could call it Organization Fifteen now, but I don't know. Even after Elaxines' arrival they called it Organization thirteen."  
"Why?" I asked, sounding like an ever playing broken record.  
"The questions never stop, do they?" He said, letting out a small muffled laugh. It sounded the crash of distant waves were hidden inside of it's tone, filling me with warmth. Not the warmth of rage, like before, but the warmth of…something different.  
"Sorry."  
"It's fine. Trust me, If I could answer all of your questions, I would. I just joined the Organization nearly two weeks ago myself….I can't even remember where I came from…" He said, sorrow filling his voice, his eyes fixed on the ground. "But, the funny thing is…" He said, lifting his head back up. "When you joined the Organization today, I feel like I can remember someone else…"  
"Who?" I asked in confusion.  
He looked up at the ceiling, as if he would see the face etched on the white. "She's a girl, I know that. Her eyes are pale, like yours, her hair red…" He looked back at me, seeming to double check. In satisfaction he smiled. "That's all I know…"  
Yeah, and you have the same eyes as the boy I dream about every night, and when I think about escaping, his face comes to mind, telling me to stay…  
Do I speak? Nahh. I don't see what's so important.  
"Roxas?" I heard a small voice ask at the door. Elaxines' face was pale, her hair covering her eyes slightly. She stood at my door, timid and shy, staring at the two figures who sat on the bed next to each other. "Th-the superior needs to see you…"  
Roxas looked at her and nodded, his smile suddenly fading and his face was stern, almost like a new person. He lifted his body off of the bed and walked out of the door, turning the corner.  
I swung both my legs over to lay and stared back at the ceiling.  
"Kaina?"  
Roxas was back at the door now, the smile slightly returning to his face. "Goodnight." He said, turning back to exit the room once again.  
"Goodnight Roxas." I said, to myself.

Goodnight Sora…


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-

_"DiZ, I don't see what this has to do with her. There's no need to involve her in this mess. It's not fair.." The man in the black coat raged._  
_ Namine sat their, as perfect as a daisy, that she resembled in fact. Her eyes focused on the man, the way he moved, his hood was covering his face just like the others. He couldn't have been one of them, could he? His voice was so soft, so familiar and so calm. He wasn't rough and frightening like those of the Organization…but why the coat?_  
_ "She has just as much to do with 'this' as you and I" The accented man croaked. He, DiZ, motioned to Namine and looked back at the man with a stern face. "She is the one who controls the memories of-"_  
_ "Sora," The hooded man said, finishing DiZ's broken sentence. "she is the only one who can bring him back…"_  
_ She knew him now. The Chain of memories brought her back to his face, his clothes, his meaning. His best friend…the one she had manipulated, and now, put into a long and silent sleep._  
_ "How about the other girl?" He asked._  
_ "She is on the inside…we have failed in keeping her here…" _  
_ The hooded one pushed his fist to the nearest bookshelf, sending books flying out of the other un closed end. "They have them both now…hers and his…"_  
_ DiZ nodded and kept his distance. Namine was left in silence, forced to watch the fiasco of which she did not understand. "We shouldn't hesitate now, Riku. Before the girl left I made sure she was immune to some of the brain washing the Organization tends to do to their victims. I wish I could have reached the other two before the Organization played their minds…"_  
_ "Two?" Riku asked looking at DiZ. He slipped the hood off from his head. His eyes pierced Namine, remembering his presence from not too long ago. Nothing had seemed to change but the length of his hair. The only thing out of place was the long necklace hanging from his neck. She had never seen it before, but it seemed broken, metal missing from the end. Her head then began to pound…_  
_ She would see that necklace in her dreams…_

When I woke up this morning, my head began to spin. It took my a while to register that I was still in my plain white bedroom I've been assigned to last night. My blue hair was in a snarl of knots and tangles, meaning I tossed and turned in my sleep. Did I even dream last night? I don't think so, which is odd, seeing my chain of events lately. I glanced at the night table, a silver brush sitting next to a brown journal. How convenient. I took it in my hand and smoothed out my mane with it's rough bristles.  
"Kaina," I heard coming from the doorway. I nearly jumped out of my skin, easily startled in the morning. Axel was standing by the door with Roxas, who was looking at his feet. "Good, you're up and already getting ready."  
"…yeah I just woke up…" I said, covering a yawn with my big black sleeve.  
"Good. Training starts in five and you sho-"  
"Whoa…wait…It's, what, like 7 in the morning! Train? Now?! No…don't think so." I said, crossing my arms like a toddler. Sorry sir, but if you want me to go and "train" right after I wake up, have fun wiping bodies off the cement.  
"Sorry, can't change the schedule. It's not my rules, but if you would like to have a word with the superior, I can gladly put you on his waiting list." Axel said with a sly sarcastic smile. "I'll be waiting in the Grey Area. Roxas will lead you there when your done…prepping."  
He walked away before I could even talk back, leaving Roxas behind. He looked up from his feet and smiled, changing his vibe from when Axel stood by him. His blue eyes glinted in the artificial light surrounding him.  
"Morning!" He said, walking into the room.  
I nodded and smiled "Morning." I said with the same tone. I took the brush and ran in through the left side. My hair was long, collecting at my knees. It's always been a struggle to deal with. It was hard to brush, a pain not to sit on and a struggle to manage in the wind, still something inside me refused to cut it. So I usually just let it hang from a loose pony-tail or bun. I wrapped the elastic from my wrist around my thick hairs, then brushed out the bangs.  
"Pretty." Roxas said, watching me as I strung the hairs into the band. "Your hair, I mean. Your hair is very long…." I could see the red rising slowly to his cheeks causing mine to brighten as well.  
"Yeah it is, but it's a pain."  
He nodded, not seeming to care about my own remark, and slouched at the doorway. His vision seemed to be focused on the floor by my feet. The Orange, purple and green bottoms of my boots weren't much different from Roxas', Of course the color was different, but the style was the same. Maybe they'd let me keep these.  
"You ready?" He asked, glancing up from the floor spot on which he was focusing.  
"I guess."  
And with those words, the black portal was opened by a swift and gentle wisp of Roxas' hand. In midair, it appeared, just as dark as menacing as it was yesterday…

Twilight Town.

We weren't even on the surface, but I knew it right away from the smell. This is where I was taken from only yesterday, wasn't it. Kidnapped and pulled from off my perch, forced to fly away. Of course I didn't want to, I had so many thing to live for here. The joy, the laughter the,…the…  
We were in the Tram track tunnels. It was so quiet from the usual day, come to think of it, maybe it was Sunday. Trams don't run under the town on Sundays. Or was it Mondays…Come on, think…  
"Look who finally decided to make their way to lessons." Axel said, slouching in the corner. He stood down here, alone like a creep. His hair seemed to stick out higher than yesterday, his eyes more green. "Look at you two Keyblade wielders! What a lovely day to start out, isn't it?"  
I gave Axel a quick eye roll then looked at Roxas who stared at his feet. Why wasn't he saying anything or socializing. He seemed like he like the type to hold his end of the conversation when he was around me…why not Axel? Did he dislike him as much as I did?  
"Listen Kaina, Roxas already knows the basics. I'm going to give you a quick lesson before we begin, Kay?" Axel said, folding his long arms across his chest. I gave a small half nod and looked away from Roxas. "Rox, you can relax for now, but not for too long." Axel reassured him.  
Roxas looked up slightly and back down at his feet. The familiar sparkle in his eyes couldn't be found…

"Summon it like you did before!" Axel yelled furiously as he slammed his fist against the back wall.  
"Can't you see I'm trying!?" I yelled back. I was trying hard to get the key to form back at my hands like it did yesterday, when Axel attacked me.  
"Try harder!"  
"Like How!? How exactly am I supposed to poof a magical key to my palms? Why don't you actually try to help instead of yelling at me!"  
"Little problem, don't have a Keyblade."  
"What the hell is so serious about this Keyblade thing anyways!?"  
Axel shrugged and smirked "I'm not the one to tell you that."  
"Then who the hell is!?" I yelled, more than asked. I watched as Axels' finger slowly outreached to Roxas who was sitting in the corner examining the grains on the floor. His eyes drooped, gazing at the grains of the tile.  
"The only other Keyblade wielder in the Organization." He said, smiling slightly in Roxas' direction. "Hey Rox!" He yelled, causing the blonde spiked head to bolt upright. Axel motioned for him to come over and watched as he lifted himself to stand.  
"We need your expertise for miss rookie here." Axel said, nudging me with his elbow. It wasn't the lightest nudge, probably left a bruise, but I sucked up the pain.  
Roxas remained silent, staring at his feet. He reached out a hand and the yellow handle appeared at his grasp. He looked up slightly, glancing at me slightly and slowly moving the Keyblade in front of him. "Take it," He said quietly "Use it for now."  
I did as he said, and took the yellow hilt from his hand. It felt heavier just to take it from someone rather than have it appear in your own grasp. I swung it over to my side, just to get the feel, then I held it over my head, and spun it around my body.  
"Having fun there?" Axel asked, staring at me from the corner of the room, where he now resided. He looked amused, like watching a child play with a new toy. I stopped being foolish and gave Axel a shrug. He let out a snort of laughter and nodded at Roxas. "Thanks bud."  
Roxas didn't pay any attention to the red-haired wonder, and just sat back down in his solitude.  
"Alright, girl. I'm going to teach you the basics of fighting. One on one, so you'll just be fighting me." He said, his green eyes gleaming.  
"Fun, I can get you back for what you did yesterday."  
"I don't think you're at that level yet, kid."  
The pit of my stomach started to bubble again. Who does he think he's calling a kid?!  
Out of known instinct, I bolted forward, wailing Roxas' Keyblade at my side. I was aimed right at Axel, running like a crazed mad woman. He quickly drew his circle…thingy's and blocked me from hitting him.  
"Damn it!" He yelled as the metal ground against each other. He pushed me while breaking our weapons from each other. "Take it easy, Rookie! That wasn't the smoothest…"  
"It's called the 'element of surprise', bozo!" I huffed in anger.  
"More like the element of clumsy. Nice try, but you're too clunky with your attacks."  
"Clunky!?"  
"And this is why your in training. You're not qualified for what you're up against yet. You're still just a baby in the Organization." He said, rustling the hair on my head, I quickly moved in disgust.  
Baby!? Who did this guy think he was. I'm gonna kick his sorry little stupid pathetic bu-…  
"Kaina, watch out!" I heard, breaking my wave of anger. I didn't have much time to react when I looked up. Roxas was on top of me before I could speak, pushing me to the side of the room. I pushed his body from mine and looked up. Axel was standing behind us, twirling his weapons and smirking the largest known smirk.  
"Did you just…attack me?" I asked, clenching my fists together. I didn't need an answer from him. His stupid little face said it all.  
"Element of surprise, little girl. Get your head out of the clouds…"  
"Element of surprise! I'll show y-" I said, stumbling to me feet. I stopped as I felt a hand on the back of mine.  
"He's not worth it, Kaina. Leave him be…" Roxas said, still laying on the ground. I couldn't argue with him, his blue eyes cut like crystals. I guess Axel wasn't worth it. That stupid grin, stupid hair, stupid face. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He was stupid. I'd let him have it later, kick him right in his stupid.  
"Well that looks like that's all we're getting out of you today.." Axel said, tilting up his chin and turning back towards us. I picked myself up and looked back down at Roxas and offered him my hand. He declined and pushed himself up manually…  
"I thought you we're going to train me?" I asked, trying not to look him in the green eyes. Don't get me wrong, they were stupid but I didn't want to see them…  
"Tomorrow, my dear, today was merely just to see what you know…which was…clearly nothing."  
Don't let him get to you…Don't let him get to you…. Like I said, when the time was right he'd have a face full of blood and my good ol' foot, y'know, once I was 'trained' enough…


End file.
